


definitely

by myaimistrue



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Crushes, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Silver Coast Casino, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, flux - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:13:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25884145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myaimistrue/pseuds/myaimistrue
Summary: Two nights with Shepard and Kaidan, separated by the years.
Relationships: Kaidan Alenko/Female Shepard, Kaidan Alenko/Shepard
Comments: 4
Kudos: 15





	definitely

**Author's Note:**

> A little bitesize bit of fluff for your day :)

_**2186** _

“Two brandies, please,” Kaidan said to the bartender.

Shepard admired him. He looked incredibly handsome like this, in nice clothing and warm lighting, leaning against the bar. She could almost forget why they were really in this casino. “We should go out more often.”

“That sounds nice.” His lips quirked into a careful smile. “But I think we both know that without someone trying to murder us, I couldn’t convince you to go out like this if I tried.”

“That’s not necessarily true,” She said, knowing internally that he was right. “Remember Flux? We used to go there.”

“For work, mostly.” The bartender handed them their drinks, and Kaidan extended his glass to her. 

She clinked hers with his. “But also for pleasure.” 

“Every once in awhile.” He smiled that open, easy-going smile of his that she could never get enough of. “I’d try to impress you with my quasar skills. You’d move as close to me as you possibly could to ‘watch.’”

Shepard took a long sip of her brandy, trying not to laugh. “You implying I had ulterior motives, Alenko?”

“Not at all, Commander.” He leaned in closer to her, and she wished to God that they weren’t working. “I know you did.”

“Somebody’s cocky.”

He raised an eyebrow. “So I’ve got the wrong idea?”

She couldn’t help but smile; she never could when it came to him. “Fine. Maybe I did have ulterior motives. But so did you.”

“Oh, I definitely did.” He grinned. “Worked out, didn’t it?”

“If you don’t count the Reaper thing.” Shepard thought about it. “Or the dying thing.”

Kaidan laughed softly. He wasn’t the sort to laugh at just anything; if he did laugh, it was because he genuinely found it funny, so even a small one like this was special, like a gift. She loved how his eyes crinkled at the corners. 

“Is it crazy to say I miss that time on the SR-1?” He said. “I know it was hard. And you and I weren’t together. But compared to life now…”

“I know what you mean. It was easier, then.” Shepard smiled wistfully for who they were then. For the people they had lost. “And before we really fell in love, when it was unspoken… I don’t know. There was something nice about that. Purer, maybe.”

“Maybe.” Kaidan leaned in and kissed her softly. She was surprised- they never engaged in any kind of PDA, a holdover from the days when fraternization rules loomed over them- but kissed him back. She didn’t think she could ever not kiss him back. “But this, now, you and me- it’s definitely better, don’t you think?”

She adjusted his collar and smiled. “Definitely.”

_**2183** _

“Do you wanna try?” Kaidan stepped back, offering the machine.

Shepard laughed and shook her head. There was a slight flush in her cheeks from the one drink he’d barely convinced her to have; who’d have guessed that the Commander was a lightweight? “I’m not great at gambling.”

“I don’t believe that.”

“It’s true.” She shrugged. “I just don’t have the patience for it.”

“Is this the one thing I might be better than you at?”

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “Don’t let it go to your head, Kaidan.”

A thrill ran through him, like it did every time she used his first name. He didn’t want to read too far into it- she called most of the squad by their first names- but there was something different about how she said it. His name didn’t sound like that when anyone else said it. 

“Are you going to play?” Shepard looked at him with an amused expression. “Or are you just gonna keep staring at me?”

“I’m gonna play.” He looked back at the quasar machine, hoping she didn’t notice the heat in his cheeks. “Now, let me show you how this is done.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Shepard moved closer to look at the game over his shoulder. Their arms brushed, and it felt like a bolt of electricity shot throughout his body. He felt like a teenager again, like he did when Rahna would sweetly smile at him from across the dormitory back on Jump Zero, that same giddy nervousness. He tried not to engage in that, however; he was a grown man, a soldier, and he shouldn’t have juvenile crushes on superior officers.

Shepard leaned further in, watching him. “You’re on a streak.”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t mess up,” She said with a faint grin.

“Now you’ve jinxed me.”

But he kept going, kept taking risks, and as the stakes rose, Shepard leaned closer. Then, heart pounding in his chest like he was in battle, he hit the jackpot.

“Oh my God!” Kaidan exclaimed, and without thinking, threw his arms around Shepard.

She hugged him back, laughing. “Well done, Alenko.”

He pulled away, feeling heat rush to his cheeks. “Sorry, Commander. I shouldn’t have-”

“It’s alright.” She smiled, and if he didn’t know better, he’d say she was flirting; with a smile like that, she’d have to feel something for him. “Doesn’t bother me.”

“Good.” He said, trying to focus on what was happening and not his ever-growing feelings for his Commander. “I’ll go cash out.” And then, because he couldn’t help himself, he added, “Wanna grab some coffee before we head back to the Normandy?”

He fully expected her to say no, to tell him that they needed to get back to work. But she seemed to consider it, and then she said, “Only if you’re paying.”

Kaidan grinned. “Definitely.”

**Author's Note:**

> I had to give these two some sweetness- they deserve it!
> 
> I hoped you liked this! Comments and kudos are always appreciated.


End file.
